Montenegro Has Ordered Two Offshore Patrol Vessels From France’s Kership Shipyard
The French Directorate General of Armaments (Direction générale de l’armement-DGA) announced that the Montenegrin Ministry of Defence had ordered two 60-meter offshore patrol vessels (OPV) from the Kership shipyard, a joint venture between Naval Group and Piriou. The contract, which represents an important step for the western Balkan country to enhance its capabilities in the Adriatic Sea and contribute more actively to NATO-led missions, was signed last week at the Euronaval 2024 exhibition in Paris.
The DGA said in a statement that the contract is part of the intergovernmental defense cooperation agreement signed between the two countries in Paris on April 3, 2024, and includes extensive support from the French state. However, it did not disclose details such as cost or delivery schedule.
OPV 60 is an offshore patrol vessel designed and built by Concarneau-based Kership to perform a range of State Maritime Operations missions (patrol, surveillance, anti-piracy, and anti-smuggling…). These platforms are 62.2 meters long and 9.5 meters wide, with a full load displacement of 620 tons. OPV 60 has a Combined diesel-electric and diesel (CODLAD) propulsion system that allows it to reach a range of over 9,000 nautical miles at 10 knots and a maximum speed of 21 knots. Built with a steel hull and aluminum superstructure, the vessel can accommodate 48 people, including 36 crew and 12 mission personnel. There is also ample space at the stern for RHIB, autonomous boats, and VTOL drone systems.
Depending on the user’s needs, these ships can be equipped with various anti-ship and air defense missiles, a naval gun, a machine gun, and remote-controlled weapon stations. However, it is currently unknown how Montenegro will customize their OPV 60s.
The Montenegrin navy currently consists mostly of old equipment from the Soviet era. The arrival of new ships will greatly contribute to the modernization and development of the navy, which is young and small compared to other European countries.